Band and Orchestra By-Law Changes for 2023

Jan 10, 2023 | Band, Fine Art Directors, Homepage Updates/Alerts, String Music, Vocal Music

Dear Directors,

We are getting this to you early so you can plan as you are making your music selections for Solo & Ensemble and for Concert and Sight-Reading.

There have been a few tweaks to the by-laws to allow for more participants, to create an equitable competition, and to reward higher musical excellence.

  1. As originally announced last year, all Class 1 Solos and Small Ensembles must be played with the instrumentation as listed on the PML. Class 2 and 3 Solos and Small Ensembles may still substitute instruments, provided they are not writing a simplified part.
  2. All school classifications will be allowed to enter Class 1, 2, or 3 solos and small ensembles. This is to increase the approachability of the contest for younger, less experienced players. The points have been adjusted to give a small reward for Class 3, similar points for a Class 2, and a larger amount for a Class 1 that is more in line with the points awarded for solos. See By-Laws for points, and remember above for Class 1.
  3. No more than 3 small ensembles from a given school may play the same selection for competition.
  4. No student may play any selection they have played any part of for competition in the past 3 years for any event (Small, Medium, Large, Solo, etc. – This is a change from only having to wait a year to play a piece again for competition.) This includes if they played it earlier in the day. For example: Even if they were 2nd clarinet on the piece a previous year, or earlier in the morning, they CANNOT play 1st clarinet on that song this year, or later in the day, even if the majority of the personnel are different.
  5. Scores: When possible please order the published scores and not EPrint. If EPrint must be used, proof from the publisher/company that 3 judges copies of the score were paid for must be provided at registration.
  6. Flex arrangements are always allowed for the March or for your director’s choice selections. Should you need to use a flex arrangement of your PML piece, approval music be obtained from the music committee to make sure the flex arrangement is truly just reassigning parts and not simplifying the music.

Thank you to all of the band and orchestra directors for your input on this process. We are constantly striving to provide the best contest we can. See you all soon!